Apparatus for wet treatment of sheet or strip material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for wet treatment of sheet- or strip-shaped material which is provided at its underside with a photosensitive layer has a liquid-containing vessel with rolls which advance the material along a substantially horizontal path above one or more liquid applying devices whose hollow tubular housings rotate about horizontal axes and dip into the supply of liquid in the vessel to apply liquid to the underside of the material. Each housing contains a feed screw which rotates therewith and conveys a stream of liquid from openings at one end to openings at the other end of the respective housing. A pump draws liquid from the vessel and discharges the thus withdrawn liquid into the vessel at right angles to the direction of transport of material so that the chemical activity of liquid which is being fed by the pump decreases in a direction from one marginal portion toward the other marginal portion of the material. Each housing discharges liquid at the other marginal portion of the material whereby such liquid flows transversely of the path and its chemical activity decreases in a direction counter to that of the chemical activity of liquid which is being fed by the pump. This insures a more uniform treatment of each portion of the photosensitive layer.

United States Patent [191 Stievenart et al.

[4 1 Dec. 17,1974

1 1 APPARATUS FOR WET TREATMENT OF SHEET OR STRIP MATERIAL [75]Inventors: Emile Frans Stievenart, Antwerp;

Hugo Frans Deconinck, Deurne Zuid, both of Belgium; Jiirgen Miiller,Munich, Germany [73] Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft,

Leverhausen, Germany [22] Filed: May 23, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 363,079

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 26. 1972 Germany 2225637 [52]US. Cl. 118/223, 178/248 [51] Int. Cl. B05c H08 [58] Field of Search...1 18/223, 246, 224, 258259; 354/89, 318, 324

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.570.857 l/l926 Perkins118/258 2.333.369 11/1943 Glickman.... 118/258 X 2.611.336 9/1952 Sachs118/246 X 2.622.313 12/1952 MacDonald 118/258 X 3.081.737 3/1963 Frantzet al.... 118/223 X 3.722.453 3/1973 Dahlquist 118/246 IIl-| l4 PrimaryExaminerRonald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, 0r-Firm-Michael S. Striker 57ABSTRACT Apparatus for wet treatment of sheetor strip-shaped materialwhich is provided at its underside with a photosensitive layer has aliquid-containing vessel with rolls which advance the material along asubstantially horizontal path above one or more liquid applying deviceswhose hollow tubular housings rotate about hori' zontal axes and dipinto the supply of liquid in the vessel to apply liquid to the undersideof the material. Each housing contains a feed screw which rotatestherewith and conveys a stream of liquid from openings at one end toopenings at the other end of the respective housing. A pump draws liquidfrom the vessel and discharges the thus withdrawn liquid into the vesselat right angles to the direction of transport of material so that thechemical activity of liquid which is being fed by the pump decreases ina direction from one marginal portion toward the other marginal portionof the material. Each housing discharges liquid at the other marginalportion of the material whereby such liquid flows transversely of thepath and its chemical activity decreases in a direction counter to thatof the chemical activity of liquid which is being fed by the pump. Thisinsures a more uniform treatment of each portion of the photosensitivelayer.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR WET TREATMENT OF SHEET ORSTRIP MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relatesto apparatus for wet treatment of sheet or strip material, such asphotographic films or web-like carriers for photosensitive layers. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for wettreatment of running sheet or strip stock which is transported through adeveloping or like station wherein its photosensitive layer is treatedwith a liquid substance. Still more particularly, the invention relatesto improvements in apparatus wherein at least one side of running sheetor strip stock is provided with a layer of liquid which is beingwithdrawn from a suitable supply by one or more rotary members whoseperipheral surfaces are in contact with the material.

Apparatus of the just outlined character are often used in photographicprocessing laboratories, for example, as developing machines wherein arunning sheet or strip is first contacted with an activating agent oraccelerator and thereupon with a suitable stabilizing agent which isapplied with a predetermined delay to terminate the development ofphotosensitive material. In such apparatus, the uniformity of treatmentis of great importance, i.e., the chemical activity as well as thetemperature of the liquid agent or agents should be uniform in allportions of the running sheet or strip. Even minor deviations of liquidtemperature or chemical activity from a desired optimum value greatlyaffect the quality of the developing treatment.

Attempts to enhance the uniformity of treatment of photosensitive layerswith one or more liquid agents include the provision of a device forcirculating the agent which device cooperates with means for supplying aregenerated liquid. The circulating device is normally adjacent to oneside of the path for sheet or strip material and serves to circulate theliquid substantially at right angles to the direction of travel of thematerial. A drawback of such circulating devices is that, when the widthof a sheet or strip is considerable, the activity of circulated agentdecreases appreciably from the one toward the other side of the pathwith the result that the development is non-uniform, often to such anextent that the final product is practically useless.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide anapparatus for wet treatment of running sheet or strip materials whereinthe characteristics of the liquid agent or agents can be maintainedwithin an optimum range to thus insure a highly satisfactory uniformityin the quality of treated material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for wettreatment of sheet or strip material with novel and improved liquidapplying means which complements the action of conventional liquidcirculating devices to thus insure a greater uniformity in the chemicalactivity and temperature of one or more liquid agents.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus for wettreatment of running sheet or strip stock novel and improved means forcirculating a liquid treating medium to thus insure that each portion ofthe stock is contacted by a liquid whose activity and/or temperaturedoes not deviate appreciably from a desired value.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the apparatus withnovel and improved means for applying liquid media to running sheet orstrip stock and for simultaneously effecting a desirable circulation ofliquid media in the body or bodies of liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide the above outlinedapparatus with novel and improved means which complements the liquidcirculating action of conventional circulating devices and is capable ofperforming additional important functions.

The apparatus of the present invention is utilized for wet treatment ofrunning sheet or strip material, particularly a material whose undersideis provided with a photosensitive layer. The apparatus comprises avessel containing a supply of a treating liquid (e.g., a developingsolution) and having an inlet for introduction and an outlet forevacuation of sheet or strip material which travels in the vessellengthwise along a path located above the supply of liquid, and at leastone liquid applying device which is mounted in the vessel at a levelbelow the path and includes an elongated tubular housing having at leastone liquid-admitting opening in the region of one end and at least oneliquid-discharging opening in the region of the other end. The housingis rotatable in the vessel about a substantially horizontal axisextending transversely of the path, and at least a portion of thehousing dips into the supply of liquid so that its peripheral surfacetransfers a film of liquid from the supply to the underside of the sheetor strip material in the path. The liquid applying device furthercomprises liquid conveying means (preferably a feed screw) which ismounted in the housing to establish a flow of liquid from theliquidadmitting opening to and through the liquid-discharging openingwhen the housing rotates whereby the housing delivers liquid to thatmarginal portion of the running sheet or strip material which is remotefrom the region of admission of regenerated liquid into the vessel.

The novelfeatures which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and itsmode of operation, together with additional features and advantagesthereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detaileddescription of certain specific embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view of an apparatus which embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a liquid applying devicesubstantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line II-II ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3a is a diagrammatic fragmentary horizontal sectional view of aconventional apparatus, showing the changes in chemical activity oftreating liquid in a direction at right angles to the direction oftravel of sheet or strip material;

FIG. 3b is a similar diagrammatic sectional view of an apparatus whichconstitutes a slight modification of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 30 is a similar diagrammatic sectional view of the apparatus shownin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen in the direction of arrowsfrom the line IV--IV of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1,there is shown an apparatus for wet treatment of sheet or strip material30, e.g., webs of photographic film or webs of flexible carrier materialthe underside of which is coated with a photosensitive layer. Theapparatus is assumed to constitute a developer for photographic films orthe like and is installed in a laboratory at a developing station 10. Avessel 11 contains a supply 18 of developing or treating liquid and isprovided with an inlet 13 for introduction and an outlet 12 forevacuation of sheet or strip material 30. The material which istransported in the vessel 11 from the inlet 13 toward the outlet 12advances along an elongated path 60 (indicated by a phantom line) whichis located at a level above the supply 18 of liquid in the vessel 11.The means for transporting the material 30 from the inlet 13 toward andthrough the outlet 12 comprises a first pair of advancing rolls 14, 15which are mounted in the vessel 11 adjacent to the inlet 13 and a secondpair of advancing rolls 16, 17 which are mounted in the vessel 11adjacent to the outlet 12. The rolls 16, 17 further serve to remove thesurplus of treating liquid from the underside of the material 30 wherebysuch surplus flows along the lower roll 16 and back into the main bodyof liquid in the vessel 11.

The shaft 15a of the roll 15 and/or the shaft 14a of the roll 14 isdriven in the direction indicated by the arrow. Analogously, the shaft160 for the roll 16 and/or the shaft 17a for the roll 17 is driven torotate in the direction indicated by the arrow.

The apparatus further comprises means for circulating the treatingliquid in the vessel 11. Such circulating means comprises a pump 19which is driven by a motor 22 (e.g., an electric motor) and draws liquidfrom the vessel 11 by way of a first pipe 20 having an intake endcommunicating with the interior of the vessel 11 in a region locatedbelow the advancing roll 16. A second pipe 21 receives liquid from thepump 19 and discharges such liquid into the vessel 11 between theadvancing rolls 15, 16 at one side of the path 60. The apparatus alsocomprises means for admitting into the vessel or into the pipe 21regenerated liquid at a rate which is necessary to maintain the supply18 at a constant level 70. The regenerated liquid is admitted tocompensate for evaporation of liquid from the vessel 11, to compensatefor removal of some liquid by the material which leaves the vessel 11 byway of the outlet 12, and also to insure that the chemical activity ofliquid in the vessel 11 remains at least substantially constant. Thevessel 11 preferably further contains and/or is connected with suitablemeans for insuring that the temperature of the supply of liquid does notexceed or does not drop below a predetermined range of acceptabletemperatures. Such means may include one or more thermometers and one ormore heaters for liquid.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the apparatus furthercomprises one or more novel liquid applying devices one of which isshown at 50. This device is mounted in the vessel 11 at a level belowthe path 60 and includes a hollow tubular housing 23 in the form of acylinder having a shell 23A ((see FIG. 2) and two end walls 23B, 23C.The axis of the housing 23 is preferably horizontal and extendstransversely of the path 60. The liquid applying device furthercomprises liquid conveying means 25 here shown as a feed screw which isreceived in the interior of the housing 23 and has a shaft 24 formingpart of drive means for rotating the device 50 in the vessel 11. Thethreads 2511 of the feed screw 25 sealingly engage the cylindricalinternal surface 2312 (FIG. 4) of the housing 23. The housing 23 ismounted in the vessel 11 in such a way that about one-third thereof dipsinto the supply 18 of liquid whereby the peripheral surface 23a of thehousing transfers a film of liquid to the underside of the material 30in the path when the shaft 24 is driven to rotate the parts 23 and 25 asa unit, preferably in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1.Thus, the peripheral surface 23a rotates counter to the direction (arrow61) of transport of material 30 along the path 60.

The drive means for the liquid applying device 50 further comprises agear 24a which is fixed to the shaft 24 and receives torque from asuitable motor (not shown) by way of a gear train. The housing 23 hasone or more liquid-admitting first openings 26 which are provided in theend wall 238 and an annulus of liquiddischarging second openings 27which are provided in the shell 23A adjacent to the end wall 23C. Asshown in FIG. 4, the partitions between the second openings 27 arearranged to cause streams of liquid to flow from the housing 23substantially tangentially of the peripheral surface 23a. The means forurging the underside of the material 30 in the path 60 against theperipheral surface 23a of the housing 23 comprises a stationary ormovable biasing member 31 having an undulate bottom surface 31a andbeing mounted in the vessel 11 above the path 60. The film of liquidwhich is transferred to the underside of the material 30 in the path 60by the peripheral surface 23a adheres to the material 30 and advancestherewith toward an additional or auxiliary liquid applying device 29here shown as a roll or drum driven by a shaft 29a and a gear 29b so asto rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. The peripheral surface 29c ofthe drum 29 dips into the supply 18 of liquid in the vessel 11 andapplies a film of liquid to the underside of the material 30. At thesame time, the peripheral surface 29c removes spent treating liquid fromthe underside of the material 30. The gear 291; is driven by theaforementioned motor for the gear 24a, preferably at an RPM which isless than the RPM of the shaft 24, i.e., the RPM of the additionalliquid applying device 29 is less than that of the device 50. Also,whereas the peripheral surface 23a rotates counter to the directionindicated by the arrow 61,. the peripheral surface 29c rotates in suchdirection. The RPM of the advancing rolls l5 and 16 is preferably lessthan the rotational speed of the liquid applying device 50. Thus, theRPM of the device 50 preferably exceeds the RPM of each other device(15, 29, 16) which dips into the supply of liquid in the vessel 11.

The shaft 24 of the feed screw 25 is sealingly surrounded by the endwalls 23B, 23C of the housing 23 so that the latter can receive liquidonly by way of the openings 26. About one-third of the diameter of thefeed screw 25 extends into the supply 18 of liquid in the vessel 11.When the gear 24a drives the shaft 24 in a clockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 4, the housing 23 rotates with the feed screw 25. Theliquid which has entered the housing 23 tends to remain in the lowerpart of the interior of the housing, even when the latter rotates withthe feed screw 25, whereby the openings 26 draw or suck liquid from thesurrounding supply 18. The liquid which enters the housing 23 in thedirection indicated in FIG. 2 by arrows 26a flows toward the openings 27and is expelled from the housing by flowing tangentially orsubstantially tangentially of the peripheral surface 23a. The shell 23Awith its openings 27 acts not unlike the impeller of a radical pump andcooperates with the feed screw 25 to induce the flow of a continuousstream of liquid through the housing 23 from one side to the other sideof the path 60, i.e., in the direction in which the pipe 21 dischargesliquid into the vessel 11 in the space between the advancing rolls 15and 16.

The inflow of liquid into the housing 23 can be enhanced by changing theconfiguration and/or the position of openings 26. For example, theopenings 26 can be designed to provide helical paths for admission ofliquid into the housing 23. Also, the openings 26 can be provided in theperipheral surface 23a adjacent to the end wall 23B and may be arrangedto induce a tangential flow of liquid into the housing. The justdescribed openings 26 can resemble the openings 27 shown in FIG. 4except that their orientation is opposite to that of the openings 27.The extent to which the housing 23 dips into the supply 18 of liquidinfluences the rate of liquid flow from the openings 26 towards theopenings 27. It was found that the flow of liquid in the housing 23 isvery satisfactory if about one-third of the diameter of the feed screwdips into the liquid in the vessel 11.

FIG. 3a illustrates the effect of circulation of treating liquid in aconventional apparatus. The direction of material transport is indicatedby the arrow 61 and the direction of flow of liquid which issues fromthe pipe 21 is indicated by the arrow 62. Thus, the regenerated liquidflows at right angles to the direction of transport of the materialwhereby its activity or effectiveness decreases in the direction ofarrow 62 so that the treatment of photosensitive material along theremote marginal portion of the strip or sheet is much less intensivethan along the marginal portion which is nearer to the outlet of thepipe 21. The trapezoid 118 indicates the decrease in chemical activityof treating liquid in the direction in which the liquid flows from thepipe 21 toward the remote side of the vessel. Therefore, the developmentof material which is being treated by the liquid is unsatisfactorybecause it is much more intensive along the marginal portion which iscloser to the pipe 21. This is particularly felt when the material to betreated is rather wide and the quantity of treating liquid in the vesselis small.

FIG. 3b illustrates the effect of treatment of material 30 in anapparatus which embodies the present invention. The activity of liquidwhich issues from the pipe 21 decreases in the same way as described inconnection with FIG. 3a (see the trapezoid 1 18). However, the activityof liquid which has passed through the housing 23 and has entered thevessel 11 by way of the openings 27 is just as high or nearly as high asthat of the liquid issuing from the pipe 21. The liquid which issuesfrom the openings 27 flows across the path 60 (arrow 63) and itsactivity decreases in a direction toward the outlet of the pipe 21. Thedecrease of activity of liquid issuing from the openings 27 is indicatedby the triangle 218 which is superimposed upon the trapezoid 118 so thatthe overall effect of liquid on the photosensitive material at theunderside of the running sheet or strip material 30 is substantiallyconstant or uniform from one side to the other side of the path 60. Theflow of liquid as indicated by the triangle 218 (arrow 63) is induced bythe pipe 20 which draws liquid from the vessel 11 and feeds such liquidto the pump 19. It is assumed in FIG. 3b that the axis of the pipe 21 islocated in a vertical plane which includes the axis of the shaft 24.

FIG. 3c illustrates the effect of treatment of material 30 in anapparatus which is identical or nearly identical with that shown inFIG.. 1, i.e., wherein the pipe 21 is offset relative to the housing 23,as considered in the direction of the arrow 61. The triangle 218represents the drop of chemical activity of liquid issuing from theopenings 27 and flowing transversely of the direction of travel (arrow61) of the material 30. The overall intensity of treatment is verysimilar to that described in connection with FIG. 3b, i.e., the chemicalactivity of liquid is substantially uniform all the way from the one tothe other marginal portion of the material 30 in the vessel 11. The onlydifference is that the triangle 218 is slightly shifted to the trapezoid118, as considered in the direction of material travel in the vessel 11.This does not affect the quality of treatment due to timely integrationduring transport of material from the inlet 13 toward the outlet 12.

The housing 23 of the liquid applying device 50 preferably consists of ametallic material which is provided with a coating of rubber or thelike. The conveying means 25 preferably consists of a synthetic plasticmaterial which can stand the corrosive action of liquid in the vessel11. The other rotary parts of the apparatus, especially those (15, 29and 16) which dip into the supply 18 of liquid in the vessel 11,preferably consist of a metallic material having a coat of rubber oranother relatively soft substance which can produce sufficient frictionfor satisfactory transport of material 30 through the vessel.

The improved apparatus can be used with particular advantage for wettreatment of photosensitive material in a developing unit which operateswith a relatively small quantity of a liquid medium. If the supply ofliquid is relatively small, even minor fluctuations in chemical activityand/or temperature of the liquid medium might greatly affect the qualityor intensity of treatment, regardless of whether the fluctuations are oflocalized nature or take place at timely spaced intervals. The improvedapparatus insures a highly satisfactory mixing of the supply of liquidas well as a thorough dispersion of admitted regenerated liquid to thusreduce the likelihood of fluctuations in chemical activity and- /ortemperature.

The drive means for the liquid applying device 50 may be of thereversible type. This is desirable in connection with the treatment ofcertain types of materials. If the direction of rotation of the device50 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 is reversed, the liquid will flow throughthe housing 23 in a direction from the openings 27 toward the openings26. In such apparatus, the openings 27 are preferably replaced byopenings similar to the openings 26 and are provided in the end wall 23Cof the housing 23.

The apparatus may comprise two or more liquid applying devices 50. Forexample, the drum 29 can be replaced with a liquid applying devicehaving a hollow housing and liquid conveying means in the hollowhousing.

A feed screw 25 may alternatively or additionally be included in anadvancing roll which is mounted in the vessel 11 in such a way thatabout one-third thereof dips into the liquid. The wet treatmentapparatus may then be of a type wherein the photographic film is dippedinto the liquid, too and which has no liquid applying devices.

Further there exists the possibility to rotate the hollow tubularhousing 23 and the feed screw 25 at differ ent velocities by separatedrive means for the shaft 24 and the tubular housing. The direction ofrotation of the feed screw is determined in accordance with theconveying direction of the threads 25a.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of our contribution to the art and, therefore, suchadaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In an apparatus for wet treatment of running sheet or strip material,combination comprising a vessel for a supply of treating liquid, saidvessel having an inlet for introduction and an outlet for evacuation ofmaterial whereby the material which travels lengthwise between saidinlet and said outlet advances along a predetermined path; at least oneelongated roll mounted in said vessel and including an elongated hollowcylindrical housing having a peripheral surface contacting the materialin said path, an internal surface, at least one liquid-admitting firstopening in the region of one end and at least one liquid-dischargingsecond opening in the region of the other end thereof, said housingbeing rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said path and at least a portion thereof dipping intosaid supply of liquid; and liquid conveying means including a feed screwprovided in said housing and arranged to establish a flow of liquid fromsaid first to said second opening, said feed screw having threads in atleast partial sealing engagement with said internal surface of saidhousing.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said peripheral surfacetransfers liquid from said supply to the underside of material in saidand the underside of material in said path is provided with aphotosensitive layer.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising means forrotating said feed screw relative to said vessel.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least oneliquid applying device mounted in said vessel at level below said path,said device being rotatable in said vessel about a second axis extendingtransversely of said path and having a peripheral surface dipping intosaid supply of liquid and contacting the material in said path, anddrive means for rotating said housing and said additional device aboutthe respective axes.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said drive meansincludes means for rotating said housing at a first RPM and means forrotating said device at a lower second RPM.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said feed screw whichrotates with said housing at said first RPM.

7. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising drive meansfor rotating said housing so that said peripheral surface rotatescounter to the direction of transport of material along said path.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein approximately one-thirdof said housing dips into said supply of liquid.

9. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and secondopenings are respectively located at a first and a second side of saidpath, and further comprising means for circulating the liquid of saidsupply in a direction from said first toward said second side of saidpath.

10. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said second opening isprovided in said peripheral surface of said housing.

11. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said second opening isarranged to discharge liquid substantially tangentially of said housing.

12. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing has acylindrical shell and two end walls, said first opening being providedin one of said end walls.

13. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising means foradvancing sheet or strip material along said path, said means foradvancing comprising a first pair of rolls in the region of said inletand a second pair of rolls in the region of said outlet, said housingbeing located between said first and second pairs of rolls.

1. In an apparatus for wet treatment of running sheet or strip material,combination comprising a vessel for a supply of treating liquid, saidvessel having an inlet for introduction and an outlet for evacuation ofmaterial whereby the material which travels lengthwise between saidinlet and said outlet advances along a predetermined path; at least oneelongated roll mounted in said vessel and including an elongated hollowcylindrical housing having a peripheral surface contacting the materialin said path, an internal surface, at least one liquid-admitting firstopening in the region of one end and at least one liquiddischargingsecond opening in the region of the other end thereof, said housingbeing rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis extendingtransversely of said path and at least a portion thereof dipping intosaid supply of liquid; and liquid conveying means including a feed screwprovided in said housing and arranged to establish a flow of liquid fromsaid first to said second opening, said feed screw having threads in atleast partial sealing engagement with said internal surface of saidhousing.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said peripheralsurface transfers liquid from said supply to the underside of materialin said and the underside of material in said path is provided with aphotosensitive layer.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising means for rotating said feed screw relative to said vessel.4. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least oneliquid applying device mounted in said vessel at level below said path,said device being rotatable in said vessel about a second axis extendingtransversely of said path and having a peripheral surface dipping intosaid supply of liquid and contacting the material in said path, anddrive means for rotating said housing and said additional device aboutthe respective axes.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 4, whereinsaid drive means includes means for rotating said housing at a first RPMand means for rotating said device at a lower second RPM.
 6. Acombination as defined in claim 5, wherein said feed screw which rotateswith said housing at said first RPM.
 7. A combination as defined inclaim 1, further comprising drive means for rotating said housing sothat said peripheral surface rotates counter to the direction oftransport of material along said path.
 8. A combination as defined inclaim 7, wherein approximately one-third of said housing dips into saidsupply of liquid.
 9. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein saidfirst and second openings are respectively located at a first and asecond side of said path, and further comprising means for circulatingthe liquid of said supply in a direction from said first toward saidsecond side of said path.
 10. A combination as defined in claim 1,wherein said second opening is provided in said peripheral surface ofsaid housing.
 11. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein saidsecond opening is arranged to discharge liquid substantiallytangentially of said housing.
 12. A combination as defined in claim 1,wherein said housing has a cylindrical shell and two end walls, saidfirst opening being provided in one of said end walls.
 13. A combinationas defined in claim 1, further comprising means for advancing sheet orstrip material along said path, said means for advancing comprising afirst pair of rolls in the region of said inlet and a second pair ofrolls in the region of said outlet, said housing being located betweensaid first and second pairs of rolls.